A postmortem examination of Celebre d’Allen, who died on Monday evening having collapsed on the run-in during the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday, found that while his “exercise-associated episode” did not lead directly to the 13-year-old’s death, the gelding’s immune system had been severely compromised, probably by over-exertion in the race, and he died as the result of a severe bacterial respiratory infection which had not been present in blood tests taken on Saturday morning.
The postmortem, which was carried out at Rossdales, the leading veterinary practice in Newmarket, concludes that Celebre d’Allen contracted pleuropneumonia after Saturday’s race, while “the subsequent onset of sepsis or endotoxaemia [the release of harmful substances into the bloodstream from bacteria was] likely to have been a key factor in the cause of death”.
The report also found that “bloods taken on Monday indicated a severely compromised immune system. These indications had not been present in the bloods taken on the day of the race. This indicates that this issue emerged subsequent to the race and the exercise-associated episode.
“The heart pathology found no issues which are likely to be significant in the death of the horse.”
Asking for more public cash to boost prize money is worryingly shortsighted
Grand National runner Celebre d’Allen died with severe respiratory infection
Grand National party shows no sign of ending for jubilant Mullins
Willie Mullins readies Ayr squadron as handler zeroes in on British champion trainer title
The conclusion appears to explain why Celebre d’Allen had appeared to be recovering from his collapse on Sunday, before his condition suddenly deteriorated on Monday evening.
Celebre d’Allen was the oldest runner in Saturday’s race but held a narrow lead over the third-last before fading quickly after the second-last. He collapsed shortly after jumping the final fence.
Micheál Nolan, the gelding’s jockey, was subsequently suspended for 10 days by the Aintree stewards for “continuing in the race when the horse appeared to have no more to give and was clearly losing ground after the second-last fence.”
The circumstances surrounding all race-related fatalities are reviewed in detail by the British Horseracing Authority, while the Grand National, the most famous and popular race of the year, is also the subject of a separate annual review by the regulator. – Guardian
